Controlling apparatus.



WALTER C. STRANG, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed December 4, 1912. Serial No. 734,826.

aratus and rovides means to revent a sudden or rapid throw of a controlling lever past an intermediate or central position and thus serves as a protective device for the electric motor, hydraulic motor, or other apparatus governed by the controlling lever.

The sudden reversal of the controlling element of an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, a steam engine, or of power motors, or power driven apparatus in general is often objectionable for reasons well understood by those versed in the art relating to such apparatus.

The primary object of my invention is to overcome such objections by the provision of a simple practical and effective means to prevent a too sudden reversal of a controlling lever or other governing device for such apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown an embodiment of my invention as used in an elevator.

Figure 1 is an elevation view, partly diagrammatic of an elevator car and controlling apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the controller lever and locking device and also showing the inclosing standard in section; Fig. 3 is a view of the locking mechanism. v

To illustrate the principles of my invention, I have shown the retarding or locking mechanism combined with a well known form of controller for an elevator, as it is important in the operation of elevators to prevent a sudden reversal of the controller. It will be understood, however, that the invention is equally well adapted for controllers in various other situations and may have a general application.

Referring to the drawings, a controller lever 1 is keyed to a pivot pin 2' j ournaled in a bracket 3 secured to the bottom of the elevator car G. The lever 1 extends upward through anopening in the floor of the car,

and between the front and rear plates 4; and

5 of a standard D. Standing ropes 6 and 7 which extend vertically through the car, pass over guide rollers Scarried by lateral arms of the controller lever 1, and are secured at their lower ends to the horizontalarms of a three-arm lever 9. A link 10 forms a connection from the lever 9 to the controlling device for the motor that oper ates the elevator, which/controlling device may be a switch for an electric motor, a change valve or pilot valve for a hydraulic motor, or some other form of controller. The apparatus above described is of well known construction, and forms part of my invention only as it enters into combination with my improved locking apparatus now to be described.

' The locking mechanism comprises a pen' dulum rod orweighted. member 11 freely. mounted to swing on a stud bolt 12 secured to the lever 1. Weights 13 carried at the lower end of the member 11 are mounted on bolts 14: threaded into the member '11. This construction permits the use of a greater or less number of weights.

and also admits of adjustment to vary the effective length of the pendulum. A latch 15 slidable longitudinally of the lever 1 is formed with a shoulder 16 which rests on the upper end of the member 11. The upper end of the latch is held in place and guided in its movements by a strap 17 secured to the lever 1. The lower end 18 of the latch is bifurcated to straddle the pivot bolt 12 and is guided between the controller lever 1 and the pendulum lever 11. The contacting surfaces of the shoulder 16 and lever 11 are substantially flat, the cornersof the lever 11. being rounded to have a rolling contact with the latch as the pendulum swings. Secured to or formed integral with the plate 4 is a stop lug or projection 19 which. when the parts are at rest with the controller in the central or off position as shown, is directly above and in close proximity to the latoh15, Stop lugs 19 are also provided at intermediate points.

In operation, when the lever 1 is moved in either direction from a vertical position to startthe car in a corresponding direction,

the pendulum lever 11, which tends to main tain a vertical position will swing out at an angle to the controller lever 1. This relative movement of the levers pushes the latch 15 upward to a new position relative to the lever 1, the path of the latch in this new position being intercepted by the stop 19. If now, the operator attempts to throw the controller lever suddenly from this operated position past the center to a reverse position, the'pendulum lever 11, owing to its inertia will not keep pace with the controller, and will be out at an angle when the controller reaches a vertical position. The latch 15 will therefore be in position to engage the stop 19 and hold the controller, until the pendulum swings downward to a vertical position and releases the latch. A rapid reversal of the controller is thus prevented. The length of time the controller is retarded will depend largely on the effective length of the pendulum and also to an extent on the distance between the fulcrums of the controller lever and pendulum. It will be observed that the retarding means is operated and controlled directly by the controller lever, and is not dependent on the speed of the car or motor as is usual with devices for preventing quick reversal.

I wish not to be limited to the particular construction and arrangement herein disclosed, as the invention comprehends all such modifications as would come within the terms or scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination of a controlling lever movable in a vertical plane, a stop, a latch carried by the lever and arranged to co-act with said stop, and gravity controlled means carried by the lever for controlling said 7 latch to prevent a too sudden reversal of the lever.

2; The combination of a controlling device in a vertical plane in either direction from a normal position of rest, a latch carried by the lever, a stop for the latch, and gravity actuated means for controlling .said latch to prevent a quick movement of the 7 said device past said position of rest.

3. The combination of a controller comprising a lever adapted to swing in. a verti cal plane, a weight carried by the lever and having its position relative to the controller controlled by inertia and gravity and a stop device for the controller comprising a latch and a co-acting stop, controlled by said weight.

4. The combination of a lever adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a weight pivoted thereto. a latch for the lever controlled by said weight, and a stop co-acting with said latch.

5. The combination of a lever adapted'to swing in a vertical plane, a swinging mem- 6. The combination of a controller lever movable in a vertical plane, a weighted member pivoted thereto and free to vibrate on its pivot, a stop, and means actuated by said member adapted to be carried by the lever into-engagement with said stop.

7 The combination of a controlling lever movable in a vertical plane, a stationary stop, means carried by the lever and movable into and out of a stop engaging position, and a device carried by the lever for operating said means and having its posi tion relative to the lever controlled by the combined action of gravity and inertia.

8. The combination of a controller lever adapted to move in a vertical plane, a pendulum carried thereby, and a locking device for the lever controlled by the pendulum.

9. The combination of a controller movable in a vertical plane in either direction from a central position, a latch on the lever, a stop for the latch, and gravity operated means carried by the lever for actuating said latch to prevent a sudden throwing of the lever pastsaid position in both directions.

10. The combination of a controller lever movable in a vertical plane, a stop, a slide carried by said lever and movable into and out of position to be engaged by the stop as said lever is moved, a gravity operated device connected to said movable lever, and means connected to the said device to operate the slide.

11. The combination of a controller lever movable in a vertical. plane, a weighted member pivoted thereto, stops located at intermediate points along the path of the lever, and means comprising a latch carried by the lever operated by said weigh ted memher into position to be carried by the lever into engagement with. said stops.

12. The combination of a lever movable in a vertical plane, a pendulum carried thereby, means to adjust the length of the pendulum, and a stop device for the lever comprising a latch and coacting stop controlled by the pendulum.

13. A controller lever adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a detent slidably mounted on the lever, a stationary stop adjacent the path of movement of the detent and adapted to be engaged thereby, and a freely movable suspended weight pivoted upon the lever and arranged to move said detent into engaging position with respect to said stop.

14. A controller lever adapted to swing in a vertical plane in either direction from a central position, a detent slidably mounted on said lever, a stationary stop adjacent the path of movement of the detent and adapted to be engaged by the detent when the latter name to this specification in the presence of is moved upon the lever, a suspended weight two subscribing witnesses. Y

pivoted to the lever, and a shoulder on said weight adapted to slide said detent into stop- WALTER STRANG' engaging position upon a too rapid move- Witnesses: ment of said controller lever. W. H. BRADY,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my JAMES G. BETHELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

